[AxelCable]

Study of Fire Suppression in Cultural and Built Heritage using CFD and Reduced Scale Experiments
PhD proposal on Applied Topic with Company in France


Company: VACTEC Sprinkler - Fire Safety Sector – Bourges (FRANCE)
Host Laboratory: INSA Centre Val de Loire (1st Engineering Network in France)
Thesis supervision: Prof Khaled CHETEHOUNA – khaled.chetehouna@insa-cvl.fr ; Prof Nicolas GASCOIN

Research Proposal: This PhD thesis is carried out in the context of the preservation of cultural and built heritage (castles, cathedrals, archives…) through the study of an innovative fire protection technology. Scientifically, the thesis will be devoted to the complete numerical modelling of automatic fire protection sprinkler systems by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), using open source software OpenFOAM and/or FDS. The PhD student will be in charge of developing a model comprising all aspects of a fire suppression scenario in a heritage building equipped with a fire sprinkler system, ie. 1. Detection of the fire ; 2. Transient two-phase flow within the sprinkler pipework after opening of the sprinkler and activation of the fire pump, and 3. Fire suppression taking into account the sprinkler spray dynamics and modelling. Experimental fire/suppression tests in laboratory conditions on a reduced scale model will also be carried out at the INSA VESTA experimental fire platform in order to better understand the multiphysics involved during the fire suppression; and to validate the numerical results.
After a comprehensive state of art on the behaviour of modelling of sprinkler systems and fire suppression, the PhD candidate will be in charge of the following tasks:
• Determine the operating conditions specific to the available technologies on the market ;
• Suggest relevant scenarios specific to cultural heritage buildings and their geometries;
• Improve the numerical model developed by the INSA team for simulating the flow within the pipework;
• Perform the coupling between the simulations within the pipework and fire suppression at room level;
• Carry out experimental tests on a reduced scale room and analyse the results;
• Compare the numerical model to the experimental data;
• Disseminate the results through scientific journals with peer review, and in international conferences.
Candidate profile: An engineer (or Master) is expected with a good scientific and technological background and with proven qualities such as autonomy, rigor, open-mindedness, methodology, flexibility, hard-working capacity, sociability, analytic and synthesis spirit.
She/He should be able to work independently by taking into account suggestions of the team in which she/he will be integrated. Specific knowledge related to fluid mechanics, CFD, combustion and fire are expected.
Start Time: October 1st, 2019.
Duration: 3 years.
PhD Scholarship: Monthly scholarship, in accordance with regional/ministerial regulations.
Contact: Apply by send CV and motivational letter to: khaled.chetehouna@insa-cvl.fr  Mobile: +33 681 347 457

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